Facing eroding membership and citing tough economic times in Rhode Island, the YMCA of Greater Providence is cutting membership rates at its seven branches for 2014.

Facing eroding membership and citing tough economic times in Rhode Island, the YMCA of Greater Providence is cutting monthly membership rates at its seven branches for 2014.

The move is unprecedented in Rhode Island and a rarity across the country, according to chief marketing officer Diane Nahabedian. Boston did it in 2012.

“It’s pretty historic,” she said. “The only other YMCA that has lowered its rates has been Boston. No other Y in the country that we know of has lowered its rates.”

The cuts for all membership categories are about 10 percent.

“We looked at our rates and what is going on in Rhode Island and realized one of the things the YMCA stands for is being accessible to absolutely everybody and that by lowering rates, we make it easier for people to join,” Nahabedian said. “We know the economics, that there are people who are struggling and looking for jobs.”

But, she said, “Whether you are looking for a job, you need to keep healthy. … We want to make sure that people, no matter where they are in life, they have the opportunity to take charge of their lives.”

The number of memberships (not individual members) stood at nearly 19,500 in 2007, the eve of the Great Recession. In 2008, when the economy took a sharp downward turn, memberships dropped below 19,000. They dipped again in 2009 to below 18,500.

Since then, over a period Nahabedian described as “somewhat flat,” membership has continued to decline, slowly but steadily, to slightly more than 18,000.

When asked if the decline in membership was a factor in the rate cut, Nahabedian said, “maybe a little bit. But that was not the overriding reason. Truly, the reason is we want to make it more accessible to everyone.”

The nonprofit organization offers not only fitness opportunities through its pools, gymnasiums and exercise rooms and classes, but also through a wide array of wellness programs, such as diabetes prevention, weight loss and arthritis management. It also provides child care and youth camps.

“The Y, in general, one of its main thrusts is healthy living,” Nahabedian said. “What better way to stay healthy than to eat healthy and get in some kind of a program, and the kids get in some kind of program, to learn healthy habits.”

Nahabedian acknowledges that private fitness clubs pose a threat to the Y.

“I’m not going to say [private clubs] are not competition because they are,” she said. But, she added, “the Y’s are much more family centered” and “do a lot of work in the community.”

In Cranston, for example, the former Borders bookstore at Garden City Shopping Center has been converted and expanded into a new LA Fitness center.

“We know LA Fitness is there as well as other private clubs,” Nahabedian said. “Did we lower the prices because of them? No, that was not part of the equation.”

The price for a family/household is dropping from $78 to $69.95. In addition, the category now includes children up to 26 and a third adult, such as a grandparent. An individual adult membership is falling from $49 to $44.95.

Senior memberships, for those 62 and over, will go down from $44 to $39.95 The number of senior memberships has climbed 20 percent in the past year, said Nahabedian, noting that “there is a major emphasis on the older adult population, ensuring they have the services they need to stay active and healthy.”

Apart from the rate cut, Nahabedian said the Y is continuing its traditional practice of making sure those who can’t afford the membership can still join.

“We provide financial assistance to people who can’t pay the full price,” she said. “That will continue.”

Over the past five years, the proportion of memberships receiving financial assistance has climbed from 10 percent to 16 percent.

Each of the seven YMCAs in the Greater Providence system charge the same rates. They include Bayside, Cranston, the East Side, Kent County, Newman, West Bay and South County. The Newport County and Westerly YMCAs are not in the system.